Linear hint video streaming

• US 8,261,312 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhu, Jiang, He, Kaichuan, Koroth, Dipak Punnoran, Lemon, Jonathan, Thomas, Anil, Xu, Xi
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHNURR, JOHN R
• Application Number:
  US12/163,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20090327215A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,530 Days
• Field of Search: 725/82, 725/91, 725/92, 725/93, 725/105, 725/114, 725/115, 725/116, 725/138, 725/144, 725/146, 375/240, 375/240.01, 375/240.15, 375/240.26, 341/50, 341/51, 341/60, 709/231
• US Class Current: 725/115
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6437 Real-time Transport Protocol [RTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8455 involving pointers to the content, e.g. pointers to the I-frames of the video stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/85406 involving a specific file format, e.g. MP4 format

Abstract

A streaming file is constructed with a file header section that includes a file header object, a media data file descriptor, and an index descriptor. A hinting index section includes a first level hinting index with a linear organization corresponding to timing tick key values. A second level hinting index has a non-sequential organization corresponding to such timing tick key values. A special mark in the second level hinting index indicates that the first level hinting index must be consulted for a next timing tick key value. Such mark is positioned in the last of a sequential run of timing tick key values associated with its entries. A data section that can be put in a separate file, and it accepts media data blocks associated in sequential runs of timing tick key values as its entries. Thus hinting is provided for a non-sequential media data file.

Claims

1. A method for linear hinting in streaming media data files, comprising:

configuring a first level linear hinting index with pointers to a second level non-sequential hinting index;

providing said second level non-sequential hinting index with pointers to a non-sequential media data file; and

searching for media data blocks in said non-sequential media data file by accessing said first level linear hinting index to get a pointer to said second level non-sequential hinting index which in turn provides a final pointer to a particular media data block in said non-sequential media data file.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

not first consulting said first level linear hinting index for a next access; and

obtaining a next media data block in said non-sequential media data file by accessing only a next entry in said second level non-sequential hinting index to fetch a corresponding pointer to said next media data block in said non-sequential media data file.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

marking a discontinuity in the order of said media data blocks in said non-sequential media data file with a special character placed in a corresponding pointer to a last continuous media data block in said second level non-sequential hinting index.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

if said special character was not obtained in a last access, obtaining a next media data block in said non-sequential media data file by accessing only a next entry in said second level non-sequential hinting index to fetch a corresponding pointer to said next media data block in said non-sequential media data file, and not first consulting said first level linear hinting index;

otherwise, returning to search for media data blocks in said non-sequential media data file by accessing said first level linear hinting index to get a pointer to said second level non-sequential hinting index which in turn provides a final pointer to a particular media data block in said non-sequential media data file.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

packing said first level linear hinting index and said second level non-sequential hinting index together in a single file with a media file descriptor; and

associating at least one separate media data file.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

packing said first level linear hinting index and said second level non-sequential hinting index together in a single file with a media file descriptor, and at least one non-sequential media data file.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

organizing an index section is such that said first level linear hinting index has a linear organization corresponding to timing tick key values.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

organizing an index section is such that said second level hinting index has a non-sequential organization corresponding to timing tick key values.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

organizing an index section is such that said second level hinting index includes a special mark in the last of a sequential run of timing tick key values associated with its entries.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

organizing a data section is such that it accepts media data blocks associated in sequential runs of timing tick key values as its entries.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, the processing unit being configured to;

configure a first level linear hinting index with pointers to a second level non-sequential hinting index;

provide said second level non-sequential hinting index with pointers to a non-sequential media data file; and

search for media data blocks in said non-sequential media data file by accessing said first level linear hinting index to get a pointer to said second level non-sequential hinting index which in turn provides a final pointer to a particular media data block in said non-sequential media data file.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising the processing unit being configured to obtain a next media data block in said non-sequential media data file by accessing only a next entry in said second level non-sequential hinting index to fetch a corresponding pointer to said next media data block in said non-sequential media data file.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising the processing unit being configured to mark a discontinuity in the order of said media data blocks in said non-sequential media data file with a special character placed in a corresponding pointer to a last continuous media data block in said second level non-sequential hinting index.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising the processing unit being configured to:

if said special character was not obtained in a last access, obtain a next media data block in said non-sequential media data file by accessing only a next entry in said second level non-sequential hinting index to fetch a corresponding pointer to said next media data block in said non-sequential media data file, and not first consulting said first level linear hinting index;

otherwise, returning to search for media data blocks in said non-sequential media data file by accessing said first level linear hinting index to get a pointer to said second level non-sequential hinting index which in turn provides a final pointer to a particular media data block in said non-sequential media data file.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising the processing unit being configured to:

pack said first level linear hinting index and said second level non-sequential hinting index together in a single file with a media file descriptor; and

associating at least one separate media data file.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising the processing unit being configured to pack said first level linear hinting index and said second level non-sequential hinting index together in a single file with a media file descriptor, and at least one non-sequential media data file.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising the processing unit being configured to organize an index section is such that said first level linear hinting index has a linear organization corresponding to timing tick key values.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising the processing unit being configured to organize an index section is such that said second level hinting index has a non-sequential organization corresponding to timing tick key values.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising the processing unit being configured to organize an index section is such that said second level hinting index includes the special mark in the last of a sequential run of timing tick key values associated with its entries.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising the processing unit being configured to organize a data section is such that it accepts media data blocks associated in sequential runs of timing tick key values as its entries.